Overview
- MLB.com released its first 2026 MVP poll using 40 expert ballots scored 5-4-3-2-1, and it names Aaron Judge as the early American League leader.
- Shohei Ohtani is the clear National League front-runner thanks to rare two-way value that includes a 0.60 ERA on the mound and an .825 OPS at the plate.
- FanDuel’s betting odds back that view, listing Ohtani at -370 for NL MVP and placing him well ahead of the rest of the field.
- The MLB.com poll highlights Yordan Alvarez, Bobby Witt Jr., Rice and Mike Trout as credible AL contenders based on their early production and projected full-season value.
- Yahoo Sports outlines NL long shots who could rise if the race tightens, pointing to Matt Olson’s league-leading start and naming Corbin Carroll, Elly De La Cruz, Ronald Acuña Jr., Juan Soto, James Wood, Drake Baldwin and Jordan Walker.